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The real answer is the parents decide. until you are 18 years old, you are a minor and you really don't have much rights. It is the parents responsibility to both set the rules, and enforce them. Any parent that claims they can't control their teens is either an imbecile, or they aren't really trying.

As a parent, you always have one last ditch resort to fall back on. You can let your kid know that it is your legal right to get rid of any kid whenever you so wish it. No questions asked. Sign them over to the state and they become a ward of the state. Anything your kid thinks he/she owns is technically not his/her property. It is your property. And in many ways, that kid is also your property. If you choose to send the kid away to become a ward of the state, guess how much of that stuff the kid thinks is his/hers goes with him/her? The answer is none of it. They never see their room again. they never see you again, they never see any of their stuff again. Thats the way it is. Some kids should probably be made aware of it.

I have to disagree. I think telling your kids something like that -- that you would abandon them -- is worse than any emotional consequences pre-marital sex could bring. A teen put in that position will most likely rebel by saying, "So what, you don't love me and don't care what I do anyway" at least that would've been my answer to you.

If you could honestly follow through on that threat -- especially knowing what foster children go through in this country -- you have more problems, IMHO than worrying about your kids being into sex at a young age.

The answer is to teach your kids WHY having sex at a young age is wrong, and letting them then be responsible if they choose to ignore your wisdom. BUT, you don't ABANDON them!

As a parent, you always have one last ditch resort to fall back on. You can let your kid know that it is your legal right to get rid of any kid whenever you so wish it.

I hope and pray that you are not a parent. I've lived through the process which you describe, and I would never in a million years wish it upon my worst enemy, let alone threaten somebody with it - certainly not my own flesh and blood! If you truly feel as though it's okay for parents to abdicate their responsibility to their children, just because it's difficult, well - I don't know what to say, except that I pray you change this attitdue before you bring children of your own into the world.